Frictional wire connecter



9 193.7. x J. BLACKBURN ET AL 2,881

FRIc IbN L W-IRE CONNECTER' Filed Dec. 20, 1933 n f. If .11 I 11 Jbsprz Eula sue 179M625 4 Mame J21 Patented Dec. 21, 1937 1 UNITED STATES? 2,102,881 muc'rromn wmn coNNEcm Webster Groves, Mo. a

Jasper Blackburn and James A. Weaver, 11:,

Application December 20, 1933, Serial No. 703,174

8 Claims. (cl; 173-263) This invention relates to frictional wire connecters for electrically joining lead-in wires, service wires or tap lines to the main electrical supply lines, as usually employed in the installation of telephone, telegraph and electric light systems.

The invention particularly relates to that class of connecters employing a threaded bolt like member longitudinally slotted for engaging the wires to be joined, and a press nut for locking the wires together within their seat at the closed end of the bolt slot, the several inventive features herein embodied constituting in fact certain improvements upon our similar invention described in our copending application under Serial Number 676,524, That said invention contemplates generally a simple and efllcient form of connector employing a slotted bolt with a washer and pressnut permanently andoperatively mounted thereupon, and it is the prime purpose of the present invention to perfect and improve the structural features of the invention set out in said co-pending application, as well as to provide additional features of improvement.

Another object is to provide in a device of the kind referred to, the combination with a threaded bolt longitudinally slotted, the slot being extended out at one end, of a nut threadedly engaging the bolt the nut having an interior, circumferential groove or race cutting the'threads thereof, av

washer encircling .the bolt at the inner face of the nut as so mounted, the washer having a bearing rib extended thru the slot of the bolt, and

a looped brace within the bore of the nut adapted for travel along, the slot of the-bolt, the 'extremities of this brace being turned-outwardl and slidably disposed within the said race of the nut, the bight of the brace being disposed against. the said bearing rib of the washer as a' support therefor, and means for operatively yoking the washer to itsseat at the face of the nut.

Another object is to'provide in a device of the kind referred to, a threaded bolt medially and longitudinally slotted for the reception of wires, the slot being extended out thru the bolt as,a wire entrance, a nut threadedly engaging the bolt, the nut having an annular boss formed upon its inner face as mounted, an annular; cupped: washer encircling the bolt at the inner face of the nut, the annular cupped margins thereof be.- ing seated freely over the said boss of the nut and having .a bearing upon the nut at the base of the boss, and means for operatively yoking the washer to its seat said means being entirely concealed.

- Still another object is to provide in a device of 1 the kind referred-to, an elongated bolt-like member having a main wire engaging slot extended longitudinally thru its medial portion, and a wire entrance slot leading laterally out at one end of the main slot, the said slots forming laterally spaced sides of unequal length and aii inwardly turned foot or neck at the extremity of the resultant longer side, this foot, being longitudinally spaced from the extremity of the resultant shorter side, the side portions being mutually l0 and segmentally screw-threaded for their con.- current extent for engaging anut," the remaining end-sections of the longer side adjacent the foot being stripped of threads and smooth for facilitating the longitudinal movement of a nut thereover, a nut upon the bolt member adapted to threadedly engage the threaded sides thereof,

a washer encircling the bolt at the inner face of the nut, the washer having a transverse bearing rib adapted to travel freely along the main slot of the boltmember, means for operatively anchoring the washer to its seat upon the inner face of the nut for relative tative movement, means arranged interiorly of th nut for supporting and reinforcing the bearingrib under strain, and

means co-operating with the said inturnecl footor neck for operatively anchoring the nut and washer-assembly to the bolt member,-the ,arrangement'being such that the said lateral wire entrance stands open when the nut is fully withdrawn. Y g

with the foregoing and'such other and further objects and advantages in view as may be developed in the'following specification, attention is now directed to the accompanying drawing constituting'a part of the specification, the same illustrating certain preferred forms of structure exemplifyingthe invention,.and wherein,

Figure l is a side elevation of the-connecter, the nutthereofbelng fully withdrawn for the admission of wires.

Figure 2 is a frontal elevation of the connecter represented in Figure 1, as the'same appears in use for connecting a tap line to a main line, sections onlyof the said lines being represented.

Figures is a section on the line l-lof Figure 2.

Figure ais a' section on theline 4-4 of 1 1 ure 3, showing the nut and washer assemblyin top' plannai dthe sides of the bolt member in section.

Figure 5 is ure 3. Figure 6 is a" section on the line H of Fig-- a cross sectional detail of the nut and washer assembly as rotatably connected by the looped brace within the nut.

Figure '7 is a bottom plan view of the washer.

Figure 8 is a cross section on the line 88 of Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a detail in perspective of the looped brace for mounting within the nut.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of a modified structural feature in the assembly of nut, washer and looped brace.

Figure 11 is a sectionon the line I II I of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is -a side elevation of the nut an washer assembly represented in Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a detail showing a method of notching the rim of the washer and the inner face of the nut for locking the two against rotation under vibration.

In one preferred embodiment as represented in the drawing, the invention comprises an elongated bolt member or bolt-like member I, similar to the member I of our said co-pending application, the same having the faced headportion 2-, the body being exteriorly threaded as shownat 3 and being longitudinally slotted thru its middle to provide the spaced and segmentally screwthreaded sides 4-4a inclosing the main slot or wire-way 5. A lateral opening 6 is formed thru one of the sides as to form an,,entrance for the wires I to be joined or electrically connected, the

same being forced up into the wire seat 8 at the inner face of the head 2. The opening-6 is spacedfrom the extremity of the bolt membenthereby forming and providing an inturned foot portion 9. A nut Ilia is provided and adapted to threadedly engage the bolt member I over the threaded sides 4-4a thereof. To the foregoing extent the member I of the present invention follows substantially the structure shown" in the co-pending apshown. Additionally the inturned foot portion is plication. But here the resemblance ends, for the longer side 4 of the present invention is not threaded from end to end as in the structure of the co-pending application, but the sides 4-4a' are segmentally threaded only for their concurrent extent, the end section 4b of the side 4 belegs, 2I of the brace span the neck to of the inturned foot 9 of the bolt member I, in the operation of the device, and the foot 9 and two-way hook 9b at the extremity thereof and which engages the margins of the legs, co-operate for freely anchoring the nut and washer assembly to the longer leg 4 of the bolt member, thus providing a completely operative and unitary assembly which is very convenient in use, the parts whereof cannot become separated and lost. The washer I2a may beoperatively and rotatably anchored to its seat upon the nut,-either by extending ears I415 laterallyfrom the rib Ma and pinching these ears over the neck- 22 of the brace 20 which is rotatably yoked within the bore of the nut as already pointed out, as represented in Figure 3, or by cutting a groove'or race 24 laterally and exteriorlyv around the boss IIIc,-as shown in Figure 11,

and then cutting slots 25 oppositely thru the rim I2b of the washer and pinching the inner margins 25a. of the slots into the said groove 24. In either I event the brace 2II reinforces and supports the bearing rib I4u against the inserted wires 1, as the nut la is turned up. If desired the turned rim ing stripped of threads and left smooth, as

reduced marginally, S ort of its extremity, to form a neck 91; and a two-way hook 0b at the said extremity. The section 4b of the side 4 is left smooth for the purpose of facilitating the'move- V ment of .the nut Ila thereover in the use of the device. The nut Ila is formed with an interior, circumferential groove or race Ilb-cutting'thruv the threads .',of the nut, and with an annular,

raised boss IIIc upon its intended inner'face as mounted upon the bolt member I. An annular, cupped-washer I 211, having the turned rim I2b, is freely and rotatably seated over the boss lie with the said rim bearing edgewise upon the face of the nut exteriorly of the boss "lo, the washer being adapted to embrace the member I and having a transverse bearing rib I411 adapted to pass freely into and along. the slot of the wire-way 5. A fiat looped brace 2|, comprising spaced legs 2I and a connecting bight 22,-is mounted within the" nut Illa, the extremities 23 0f the legs being turned out asfact and slidably disposed within the race Ilb of the nut, the bight of the brace being reduced to form a neck 22 and being disposed thru I2b of the washer may be notched as shown at 25 in Figure 13 to lockingly engage -corresponding notches 21 formed exteriorly around the base of the boss lie of the nut, whereby the nut and washer assembly may be locked against acciden tal unturning under vibration or the like? Inthe use and operation of the device' the nut is fully unturned from the threaded portions of the sides 4-4a, and then drawn down over the smooth portion 4b, where it is held loosely engaged by the foot 9 engaging the bight-of the brace 20. The lateral wire entrance 6 thenstands fully open for the admission of the wires 1, as shown in Figure 1. The nut is then slid quickly up again to the mutually threaded sides 44a and turned up to and against the wires. In this operation the rim I2b of the washer has a bearing upon and slidably rotates over the inner face of the nut.

The looped brace 20 acts to rotatably anchor the washer to its seat, supports the rib I4a under strain and also co-operates with that rib to prevent the collapsing of the sides 4--4a under pressure of the nut when turned up. The cupped washer provides a very strong form of washer I and the notched rim an efilcient nut-lock where desired. This cupped form of washer also presents a neater exterior finish for the entire assembly, and as the looped brace is also entirely conoeale-J within the nut, the entire device presents a very finished appearance.

While the slotted, bolt-like structure herein referred to, may be conveniently formed by actually taking a bolt'and milling the slots therein, the same might be substantially reproduced in other ways, as for example by taking a strip of metal and bending same to the form of a fork with spaced and parallel legs with one leg longer and 'extended beyond the other, hooking the extended end of the longer leg across under and with its extremity in longitudinal alignment with the other leg, and then rounding and threading the outer faces of those legs to engage a nut, and while we have herein shown and described certain structural features in the'embodiment of our invention, we do not wish to be'strictly limited to those structural features pointed out, but claim. the

right to vary same in all matters of detail that may fall within the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

- 1; In a device of the kind I described, the combination with a threaded bolt longitudinally slotted, the slot beingextended out at one end, of a nut threadedly engaging the bolt. the nut having an interior, circumferential groove or race cutting the threads thereof, 'a washer embracing the bolt at the inner face of the nut as so mounted, the washer having a bearing rib extended thru the slot of the bolt. and a looped brace within the bore of the nut adapted for movement within the slot of the bolt. the extremities of the 'brace being turned outwardly and disposed slidably within thesaid race of the nut, the bight of the brace being'disposed inwardly thru the nut against the said bearing rib of the washer as .a support therefor.

2. In a device of the kind described, in combination, a headed and threaded bolt having a slot extended longitudinally thru the body thereof for the reception of wires, with an extension of the slot opening out thru the bolt as a wire entrance, a tapped nut for threadedly engaging the bolt the nut having an interior groove or race circumferentially cutting the threads there of, a looped brace within the bore of the nut,

the extremities thereof being turned outward and disposed freely within the race of the nut,

the bight of the brace lying at the intended inner face of the nut as mounted, the brace being adapted to pass within and along the slot of the bolt as the nut is operated on the bolt, a washer at the intended inner face of the nut, the same being adapted'to encircle the bolt and. including a transverse bearing rib extended across the I bight of the said brace as mounted within the wire entrance, a tapped nut upon the bolt, the

same having an annular boss upon its innerface as mounted concentric with the bore of the nut, and having an interior groove circumferentially cutting the threads of the nut, an annular cupped washer freely seated over the boss of the nut and encircling the bolt, the washer having a bearing rib extended thru the slot of the bolt, a looped brace within the bore of the nut adapted to travel within the slot of the bolt, the extremities of the brace being turned outwardly and slidably disposed within the said. circumferential grooveof the nut, the bight of the brace being disposed inwardly against the said bearing rib of the washer, and means for operatively anchoring the washer to its seat upon the nut for rotatable movement relative thereto.

4. In a device of the kind described, a bolt like member including a head and a pair of spaced.

'exteriorly and complementally rounded and segmentally threaded legs of unequal length extended from theheadfor mutually engaging a tapped nut thruout their concurrent extent, the

spacing of the legs providing a main wire engaging slot therein between, the section of the longer leg beyond the extremity of the shorter leg being smooth and unthreaded, the end portion of this smooth section being turned perpendicular ly inward underand in spaced relation to the extremity of the shorter leg, thereby providing a lateral wire entrance slot into the main slot, the said inturned end being formed as a reduced neck with a hook at its extremity, a tapped nut upon the bolt member adapted to mutually engage the complementally threaded portions of the legs, the nut having an interior circumferential groove or race cutting the threads thereof and having an annular boss upon its inner face as mounted upon .the bolt member, a looped brace' comprising spaced. legs and connecting bight mounted within the nut and adapted to travel within the main slot of the bolt member,

the extremities of the brace being slidably disposed within the said race of the nut with the legs thereof spanning the neck of the intumed end of the longer leg of the bolt member and the bearing upon the face of the nut ext'eriorly of the.

boss thereof, the washer having a bearing rib extended thru the main slot of the bolt member across the bight of the brace as mounted within the nut, and means for operatively anchoring the washer to its seat upon the nut for rotative movement relative thereto.

5 In the structure as defined in claim 4, the said means for operatively anchoring the washer to its seat upon the nut comprising ears extended laterally from the said bearing rib of the washer and pinched over the said bight'of the looped brace within the nut.

6. In the structure as defined in claim 4, the said means for operatively anchoring the said washer to its seat upon the boss of the nut comprising forming the said boss with an exterior,

lateral groove, forming the annular rim of the bination witha longitudinally slotted bolt, of a adapted to embrace the bolt, the washer having a bearing rib adapted to engage the slot of the bolt, a looped brace within the bore of the nut, the extremities thereof being slidably disposed within the groove of the nut and the bight being disposed against the bearing rib of the washer, V

and ears extended laterally from the bearing rib andpinched over the said bight of the looped brace as mounted within the nut.

JASPER BLACKBURN. JAMES A. Jn. 

